<p>Hello all. Been awhile since I've posted. My daughter is now in her first year of college, doing very well taking pre-med courses. SHE is doing much research into the medical school application process and schools, etc, but as her mom, I want to be informed as well on my own. Where can I go to get really good and accurate info on medical schools out there, the process, the cost of tuition, possible scholarships and loans, maybe a forum to talk with other like minded folk, etc? She wants to become a surgeon and good gosh, we're into the long 12 year haul I believe here. She has always wanted this (with some years not being so sure) but she has her heart set on this now and as a parent, I want to do all I possibly can. </p>
<p>She will not be in any kind of debt during her undergraduate studies as she got a partial scholarship for where she is going now and we are paying the rest (with no debt). However, with the outrageous cost of medical school, I don't think we will be able to pay it outright and she may have to do loans and we will pay part. I do not want her to graduate with a obscene amount of debt. So anyway....I need to start now so I can be as knowledgeable about medical schools and what goes along with it in the process, as I was about undergraduate schools.</p>
<p>My daughter graduated valedictorian of her high school class (never ever making a B and taking the hardest courses they had) and is making all A's now in her pre-med courses. I want to also know what medical schools are looking for in their applicants. She is also technically a sophomore since she had so many AP credits upon beginning her freshman year. She is going to overload her courses for this coming semester and the remaining semesters (approved by the school) so she can graduate in possibly 3 years. (I tried to tell her not to do this as I want her to not overdo herself, but there's no telling this young woman this....she is ambitious and driven).</p>
<p>Would greatly appreciate being steered in the right direction. Thank you!</p>
<p>Congrats on your D success. I would tell her to take it easy and enjoy while it lasts. Med. school is not a walk in a park. My D. is sophmore pre-med. She wants to have normal college experience, sorority, couple minors, job, volunteering,.... She will start looking into Med. school next year, if it is still in her plans. She had her doubts, but she seems to enjoy everything associated with medicine. We know that it will all depend on her MCAT score. I heard if a miracle happen (it does happen, believe it or not) and they get around 40, then they basically can apply anywhere they want. D needs only MCAT=27 to stay where she is now without applying, since she is in bs/md. So, we are not looking at all now, since MCAT is big unknown yet. I would just tell your D to relax and enjoy for now, she truly deserves it.</p>
<p>I would suggest that she plan to finish most of her graduation requirements in three years but NOT graduate in 3 years. Instead, let her spend her 4th year doing medical research in a lab on campus. She could start as soon as next summer and gradually increase her participation in research over time. Hopefully by the time she applies to medical school she will have some solid research publications on her resume. That could make a huge difference in admissions. And if she is really ambitious and inclined towards research she might gravitate towards MD/PhD programs which will also help with the financing of med school.</p>
<p>Most colleges and universities have offices that help students with med school admissions. Especially at larger schools, a lot of the info is posted on the web, so anyone can go and read it--or most of it, at least. Just google. This is another good site. </p>
<p>There is a pre med forum on CC that has some useful threads and a couple of current med school students who are always willing to give good advice.</p>
<p>I second the Pre-Med Topics forum here on CC. There are three posters (norcalguy, BlueDevilMike and BigRedMed) who are current med school students and give excellent advice.</p>